100,000 Supernovas Erupted in the Milky Way a Billion Years Ago

The Very Large Telescope in Chile spots signs of a massive ancient explosion at the center of the Milky Way.

By Hailey Rose McLaughlin
Dec 19, 2019 7:15 PMDec 19, 2019 7:34 PM
milky way supernova center
This image of the Milky Way's center, taken with the HAWK-I instrument at the Very Large Telescope, reveals clues about an ancient burst of star formation. (Credit: ESO/Nogueras-Lara et al.)

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The European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope in Chile has captured a new glimpse at the history of the center of our Milky Way. Astronomers say they’ve found evidence that there was once a burst of star formation so intense that it created over 100,000 supernova explosions.

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